A healthy diet does not mean no cookies, no cake and no chocolate anymore!
For many of us who want to eat healthy, our sweet tooth is our Achilles’ heel—a force that overpowers all the good intentions.
But does it have to be that way? Well, if these four entrepreneurs are to be believed, then, no. Each one of them has spent years developing healthy desserts so that people like you and I don’t have to sacrifice sweets in the pursuit of a healthy body.
Let’s find out more!
Interested in organic, vegan, preservative-free sweets and chocolates? Follow this link to browse through an entire catalogue of those!
1. Kocoatrait– Dairy-Free Sweets
Nitin Chordia and his wife, Poonam, hold the distinction of being India’s first male and female certified chocolate tasters.
So, when they launched Kocoatrait, their own brand of premium chocolates, one of the many reasons behind it was to remove the “unhealthy” label from them.
Speaking to The Better India, Nitin explains, “We wanted people to be able to make chocolates that are truly healthy based on the ingredients added to it. We have seen that people assume all imported chocolates are healthy and are of high quality. That is far from the truth. We have used Indian ingredients to create the best experiences under our label.
Not only are Kocoatrait chocolates healthy, but they are also vegan.
“Milk (or any dairy ingredient), when added to cocoa, nullifies the body’s capacity to absorb the antioxidants available in it. Using dairy products in chocolate is a bad idea for us. Hence we decided that we shall make only vegan varieties,” says Nitin.
But if these chocolates are free of processed sugar and milk, how do you counter the bitterness of cocoa? “We add dry fruits, jaggery and fruits!” quips Nitin.
What’s more, the label offers a variety of whacky flavours like masala chai, lemongrass, lavender etc. You can check out their collection here.
2. Natur Pro– Making Cakes Gluten and Guilt-Free
Natur Pro was established in Jaipur in 2013 after Amrish and Kiran Rattan Malik’s son was diagnosed with Celiac disease.
“After the prognosis, his body already had to deal with unconventional food choices. I didn’t want my son to also deal with the preservatives in his meals. When the market failed to provide us with viable options, we decided to start a venture of our own so others like my son could have tasty food even with a gluten allergy,” Amrish shares with TBI.
He explains that while it was tough trying to replace the elasticity and resulting fluffiness of ingredients like maida with gluten-free options, but he had to do it.
“We replaced wheat with whole grains and made our products with jowar, sorghum, corn, rice as well as superfoods like ragi and bajra. In the case of cake premixes, we gave up corn too, to make it completely sugar-free. Since NaturPro products are devoid of preservatives and easy to make, anyone can include them in their diet. They are especially helpful for people suffering from a gluten allergy, diabetes or those looking to cut down on unhealthy ingredients,” elaborates Amrish.
Want to make your sweets super healthy? Follow this link to get NaturPro’s cake mixes now!
3. Nutsbury– Sharing a Family Tradition of Healthy Sweets
After years of stalling, when Pune-based Mahesh and Dhiraj Kothari finally decided to become entrepreneurs in 2016, their research presented them with an interesting nugget of information.
India was sprinting ahead in the food processing department with more and more people are looking for healthy snacking options.
That was enough for the brothers to finalise their area of specialisation. Fortunately, they didn’t have to go very far in search of a healthy recipe—their mother and grandmother had been making healthy, sugar-free chikki at home for years.
“We ended up trying the family recipe to make soft chikkis for anyone looking for a healthy, natural and tasty snack,” Dhiraj inform TBI adding that an enthusiastic and positive response from their friends encouraged the brothers to formally establish ‘Nutsbury.’
“We do not add liquid glucose or white refined sugar in it, and hence the chikkis are healthy, natural and fit for fasting as well. Several customers fell in love with Nutsbury and have been placing repeat orders. We participated in Shor Bazaar, Zapalooza Flea, Tamboo market and many more. We were sold out in Zapalooza, and we took orders and delivered them home,” he adds.
Hiren Kesariya, a customer of Nutsbury, swears by their taste and texture. “I like that these chikkis because they are natural and unadulterated, comprising of only jaggery and peanuts, just how I like it. I went for these as they do not use glucose or sugar. I have severe teeth and gum problems. Not only are these chikkis soft, but they also do not stick to your teeth.”
For the complete story of the Kothari brothers, click here. To add to your collection of healthy, tasty sweets, follow this link.
4. Grami Super Foods—A Journey Back to Millets
Healthy cookies? Yeah right. Well, in the case of Grami Super Foods, it is actually true.
Speaking with TBI, Prinitha Vishnukant, the admin manager of the Bengaluru-based organisation says,
“Grami Started as a journey back to the roots of healthy living, in the pursuit of traditional food that nourishes and heals one’s mind, body and soul. We were in search of foods that were organic and untainted, and in our journey we came across it, the elixir, ready and waiting for all, hidden in plain sight and engineered by nature—millets!”
So, when you bite into a heart-shaped Grami cookie, you will taste nothing else but nutritious millets, whole wheat flour, edible oil and jaggery. Interestingly, the millets are sourced directly from certified farmer federations.
Reaching for snacks in the evening is natural. But this time, let those chai breaks be about optimising your health, not compromising on it. Click here to purchase delicious millet cookies by Grami Foods.
You may also like: 8 Food Trends That Will Ensure You Have a Sustainable & Healthy 2020
(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)
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